When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. rolled out the list of contractors cornering the lion’s share of flood control projects over the years, it wasn’t just numbers he dropped — it was names tied to powerful political figures.
One name that stood out was Sunwest, ranked eighth on Marcos’ list. Based in Albay, the conglomerate was co-founded by Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co. Originally registered in 1997 as Sunwest Construction and Development Corporation, the company has since expanded into energy, tourism, and real estate — but construction remains its golden goose, consistently landing lucrative contracts with the Department of Public Works and Highways, even during the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration.
According to a Rappler investigation, Co was listed as a Sunwest incorporator. While he officially divested from Sunwest Incorporated in 2019 — in apparent compliance with the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees — his family and allies remain entrenched in businesses closely linked to the company. Co holds major stakes in Sunwestville Realty and Development Corporation, Misibis Land, and Embarcadero Land Ventures, all “under common control” with Sunwest’s infrastructure arm. In 2023 alone, Sunwest’s construction arm advanced over ₱200 million to SRDC and Misibis Land, showing how deeply intertwined these companies remain.
Second and third on Marcos’ list were Alpha & Omega General Contractor and Development Corporation and St. Timothy Construction. The first was headed in 2023 by defeated Pasig City mayoral candidate Sarah Discaya, according to an investigative report by the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition. SEC documents also list her as a co-founder of St. Timothy Construction, though she claims to have divested in 2018.
St. Timothy, once a contractor for the Commission on Elections, pulled out from a joint venture with South Korea’s Miru and two other local firms after Comelec issued an ultimatum in October 2024.
For now, both Co and Discaya are keeping their silence — but with the President himself putting them on record, the political storm is unlikely to pass quietly.